Monday, April 08, 2013

Live Blogging the NCAA Basketball Finals

I suppose I should live-blog the college basketball finals. I am a blogger. I am a Michigan grad in Ann Arbor who naturally wears maize and blue-colored clothing regardless of the sports season. This is Ann Arbor, after all. I love Michigan football and have often blogged days at the game, right?

I mean, Go Blue! counts for everything, right?

So here goes.

First off, I have to say that this sport uses a round ball. That's different. It's fairly large, too.

UPDATE: There appear to be five players on each team, kind of like hockey, but with no goalie. The game might be better on ice, come to think of it.

UPDATE: Is this the only major men's sport that is played with short pants like they aren't quite a grown-up sport? And no, I don't count poker, notwithstanding its presence on sports channels.

UPDATE: Years ago, when I used to be a fan of basketball, I think they had something called "travelling"--where you were penalized for taking a step without dribbling the ball.

I can reach back to 1988 to say I liked the sport, when the Pistons played for the NBA championship. I remember clearly because I was quite possibly the only trainee in my basic training company to raise his hand in support of the Pistons rather than the flashier Lakers. Our drill sergeants let us know the results each day. Detroit lost in 7. And I remember paying attention the next year--this time in signal corps school--when the Pistons swept in a re-match. But sometime after that I lost interest.

Anyway, there doesn't seem to be anything like a "travelling" penalty anymore, as near as I can tell.

UPDATE: Clearly, you can get 1, 2, or 3 points by putting the ball in the basket. So far nothing appears to get you 6 points. Which is kind of disappointing.

UPDATE: This could really use female cheerleaders. Or pom pom girls. I get them confused. They are different, aren't they?

UPDATE: Egad, they have to wipe sweat from the wooden floors? Good grief, it's not like dribbling is that important any more. Why not astro-turf? Or real grass? Both would absorb moisture nicely.

UPDATE: Oh good grief! The Following is on! Gotta go. Go Blue!